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Louisville braces for heavy snow (maybe)

Joe Sullivan, with the National Weather Service, describes Friday's storm as very similar to the one that trapped hundreds of people on I-65 last year.

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David Danner of Henry County waits for his salt truck to get filled by loader Jesse Schenk at the Kentucky Department of Highways District 5 branch Thursday morning. Jan. 21, 2016(Photo: Matt Stone/CJ)Buy Photo

Batten down the hatches, and just about anything else in sight. The snow cometh -- or not.

Just how much snow the Louisville area will get Friday appeared to be a bit of a mystery. Joe Sullivan, a National Weather Service meteorologist with the Louisville office, said storm-tracking models were so varied that Louisville could get anywhere from a dusting to 24 inches of snow.

Sullivan said the local office of the National Weather Service is predicting that downtown Louisville will get 4 to 5 inches of snow Friday. But, depending on how the snowstorm shifts, some areas in southern Louisville could see snow accumulation in the double digits with possible drifts of two to three times that amount. And there could also be freezing precipitation before the snow.

Weather experts also predicted that a wide strip across much of Central Kentucky - an area including Elizabethtown, Frankfort and Lexington - will be hard hit, getting 10 to 14-plus inches of snow. And Sullivan said "the plus is significant."

However, the impact of the storm on Southern Indiana may not be as significant. Sullivan said that he wouldn't be surprised if Jasper, Ind., and points north of that city "might not get a snowflake."

The weather service Thursday issued a winter storm warning from 7 p.m. Thursday to 7 a.m. Saturday for much of Kentucky, including Jefferson and nearby counties as well as for Crawford, Harrison, Floyd and Clark counties in Southern Indiana.

Meteorologists said the storm will have the heaviest impact on the mountainous Eastern Kentucky before heading on east Saturday. Blizzard or near-blizzard conditions and well over a foot of snow are expected this weekend in parts of the East Coast. Some metropolitan areas such as Washington, D.C., could get 2 feet of snow.

While most major employers were open for business Thursday, many people who work can look forward to staying home Friday.

Nearly every job site has its own criteria for deciding whether employees should work, forego coming in, or come in late or leave early. University of Louisville spokesman John Karman, for instance, said the UofL provost has the final say on dismissing classes. He said UofL officials check the weather forecast and road conditions but that the single most-important consideration is whether Belknap Campus parking lots can be cleared to accommodate staff, faculty and students.

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin also cautioned citizens to stay home. He placed the Kentucky National Guard on high alert and said it would stand ready to provide any needed assistance during the storm.

In anticipation of possible electric outages, the Kentucky Public Service Commission urged residents who lose power to exercise caution when using portable generators or clearing storm debris.

The Commonwealth Emergency Operation Center, located in Frankfort, will remain activated at a heightened level of alert with additional staffing in place. Other Emergency Support cabinet partners will be activated as the weather dictates, state officials said.

Michael Dossett, director of Kentucky Emergency Management, warned citizens to limit or curtail their travel on interstates and local roadways from Thursday evening through Saturday morning in order to allow state and local emergency crews to do their jobs. Officials encouraged citizens to check on neighbors, the elderly and those with special needs.

Reporter Sheldon S. Shafer can be reached at (502) 582-7089, or via email at sshafer@courier-journal.com.

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Thomas Wright, branch manager at the Kentucky Department of Highways District 5, left, talks with employee Jesse Schenk about the salt and plow truck that was just checked for fluids Thursday morning. The district five branch has four state-owned trucks and 20 contract trucks that work out of Middletown. Jan. 21, 2016 Matt Stone/CJ

Loader Jesse Schenk walks back to a state salt and plow truck that's parked inside a large salt dome at the Middletown Kentucky Department of Highways branch. The Middletown branch has around 8500 to 9000 tons of salt on hand. The district five branch has four state-owned trucks and 20 contract trucks that work out of Middletown. Jan. 21, 2016 Matt Stone/CJ

James Mobley of Henry County gets his salt and plow truck topped up Thursday morning by loader Jesse Schenk. The district five branch has four state-owned trucks and 20 contract trucks that work out of Middletown. Jan. 21, 2016 Matt Stone/CJ

Kentucky Department of Highways employee Jesse Schenk talks while readying a salt and plow truck in the garage at the Kentucky Department of Highways District 5 branch Thursday morning. The bottom steel blade can last a season if a driver is careful. Jan. 21, 2016 Matt Stone/CJ

Thomas Wright, branch manager at the Kentucky Department of Highways District 5, looks over a salt and plow truck that was just checked for fluids Thursday morning. The district five branch has four state-owned trucks and 20 contract trucks that work out of Middletown. These Freightliner trucks will run up to 24 hours during operation. Drivers will work in 16-hour shifts. Jan. 21, 2016 Matt Stone/CJ

Thomas Wright, branch manager at the Kentucky Department of Highways District 5, left, talks with employee Jesse Schenk about the salt and plow truck that was just checked for fluids Thursday morning. The district five branch has four state-owned trucks and 20 contract trucks that work out of Middletown. Jan. 21, 2016 Matt Stone/CJ

James Mobley of Henry County gets his salt and plow truck topped up Thursday morning by loader Jesse Schenk. The district five branch has four state-owned trucks and 20 contract trucks that work out of Middletown. Jan. 21, 2016 Matt Stone/CJ

Thomas Wright, branch manager at the Kentucky Department of Highways District 5, looks over a salt and plow truck that was just checked for fluids Thursday morning. The district five branch has four state-owned trucks and 20 contract trucks that work out of Middletown. Jan. 21, 2016 Matt Stone/CJ